Aqueous cleaning compositions that are formulated for removing fatty soils from a variety of substrates have been developed and have been used for many years. A large variety of different types of formulations have been developed to remove fat containing soils from a variety of surfaces.
One type of cleaner for fatty soil are highly caustic institutional cleaners that chemically saponify fats and remove the saponification reaction products which are more water soluble than the fat precursor. These materials operate using strong bases such as a sodium or potassium hydroxide or silicate in combination with other soil suspending and removing compositions. A second type of cleaner comprises an active enzyme composition in an effective cleaning formulation. The enzyme acts to remove fat from a substrate by the natural action of the enzyme in breaking the fat down into its constituent substances which can be removed by surfactants or other components in a formulated cleaner. Still a further form of cleaning composition comprises a formulated cleaner that relies on the action of anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants in combination with other adjuvants to interact with, suspend and remove fatty soils from a typical substrate. The ability of surfactant materials to interact with fats at a lipid-water interface to improve the dispersibility or solubility of fats in the medium is well known. Surfactant systems for the removal of soils generally, and fatty soils in particular, have been developed and a large variety of proposed formulations have been suggested in the art. One material sold by Ecolab Inc. of St. Paul, Minn., known as Solitaire.RTM. comprises a cast solid material using a solidifying system comprising polyethylene glycol, molecular weight 8000, combined with sodium acetate. The solid composition comprises a surfactant blend comprising a cocoamidopropyl dimethylamine oxide, a lauric acid monoethanol amide, linear alkyl sulfonate, and other ingredients in a fully formulated cleaner. The individual components of this formulation are known ingredients in cast solid systems and are used in cleaning systems for grease or fat removal.
A continuing need exists in the art to improve materials that have had substantial success and acceptance by the market place to satisfy customer's demands for improved products. Accordingly, a substantial need exists to improve the grease cleaning properties of all materials.